Hassan Abdallah, Head Coach of Warri Wolves, says the red card shown to his defender and the injury to his midfielder at a crucial stage of the 2025/2026 NPFL Matchday 31 ‘South-South Derby’ against Bendel Insurance in Ozoro negatively affected his team, forcing them into a defensive approach to avoid defeat, Completesports.com reports.
Warri Wolves Forced Into Defensive Mode After Key Setbacks
The encounter ended goalless, pushing Bendel Insurance to seventh position with 45 points as the Kennedy Boboye-led side continues its push for a possible top-three finish.
Warri Wolves, on the other hand, sit 11th on the table with 40 points, with seven matches left in the campaign.
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Abdallah, a former Enyimba, Katsina United and Wikki Tourists gaffer, told reporters during the post-match press conference that his team was in control of the game until his right-back, Ayinla Olayemi, was sent off. The incident was quickly followed by midfielder Chukwuemeka Kalu’s knee injury, leaving the Seasiders with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
Abdallah Explains Tactical Switch After Red Card
“From the first half to the second half, we were playing very well and pushing for a goal until sudden things happened, which I know are part of football,” Abdallah said when asked why he switched to defensive tactics late in the game.
“First was the red card to Ayinla Olayemi, our right-back. Second was the injury to Chukwuemeka Kalu, who picked up a knee injury, which reduced us to 10 men because we had already completed our substitutions.
“So, we had no option but to become defensive, at least to ensure we picked a point from the game.”
Warri Wolves Still Eye Strong Finish Despite Draw
Coach Abdallah also responded to questions on whether the team should focus on avoiding relegation or pushing for a respectable finish, with seven matches remaining.
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“It is not over until it’s over. As you can see, we still have about seven matches to go. We can still do something.
“It’s just a draw today; we didn’t lose. Imagine if we go to Ikorodu City and win—you see the difference.
“That means we have to try our best, correct our mistakes from previous games, and move forward.”
By Sab Osuji
